Eating My Way Through the Windy City

Wednesday

Jul 31, 2013 at 12:01 AM

When you’re visiting Chicago, there is really only one thing you absolutely need to do. You have to go out for Cheese, Wine and Swine.

This is the tag line for the restaurant The Purple Pig, which specializes in everything pork. And since I only had one opportunity to eat there, I decided to make a pig of myself. My very cool editor from Gatehouse Media joined me for lunch and we got the Pig Platter (a selection of salami and cured porks) with a plate of artisan cheeses, bread and jam. I have not pigged out on such amazing meat and cheese since the time I was in Italy. It was fabulous.

Lunch at The Purple Pig was a great way to downshift after appearing on Good Day Chicago that morning. I had a great time chatting with Anna Davlantes about being Lost in Suburbia and she commiserated about how tough it is to get your cool back after you become a mom (although she admits she never got stopped by a cop while driving in her bathrobe).

TO SEE THE SEGMENT, CLICK HERE

After the interview, we demonstrated how incredibly inept we both are at the art of taking “selfies.” Finally got a good pic, but not without some help from the camera crew.

The food fest continued that night at a restaurant called Niu, which specializes in Asian Fusion cuisine. We had some amazing sushi rolls which I neglected to take pictures of because I ate them too quickly. I will tell you though that the one I had featured salmon, mango and red pepper flakes and it was crazy good. The food was great, but the best part was having a couple of hours to hang out with friends I only get to see once or twice a year!

Sushi at Niu

Needless to say, a trip to Chicago is not complete without some deep dish pizza. As a Jersey girl, I prefer my pizza thin and crispy. But when in Chicago, you gotta do like the Chicagoans do so we went to Giordanos and I got a stuffed Super Veggie pie, which was incredible.

The Deep Dish Pizza at Giordanos

A couple of other places worth mentioning were Yolk, for the best breakfast/brunch in Chicago, City Winery for great flatbreads to go with their extensive wine list, and Emilio’s Tapas for, of course, awesome tapas.

Thanks to all my Chicago friends for the great restaurant recommendations and to those of you who joined me for some great food and conversation! (And yes, in case you were wondering, I did gain a couple of pounds while I was in Chicago, but it was worth it!)

My new book, “Lost in Suburbia: A Momoir. How I Got Pregnant. Lost Myself, and Got My Cool Back in the New Jersey Suburbs” is now available. To get a copy for you or a cool mom you love, CLICK HERE

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lostinsuburbiablog

When you’re visiting Chicago, there is really only one thing you absolutely need to do. You have to go out for Cheese, Wine and Swine.

This is the tag line for the restaurant The Purple Pig, which specializes in everything pork. And since I only had one opportunity to eat there, I decided to make a pig of myself. My very cool editor from Gatehouse Media joined me for lunch and we got the Pig Platter (a selection of salami and cured porks) with a plate of artisan cheeses, bread and jam. I have not pigged out on such amazing meat and cheese since the time I was in Italy. It was fabulous.

Lunch at The Purple Pig was a great way to downshift after appearing on Good Day Chicago that morning. I had a great time chatting with Anna Davlantes about being Lost in Suburbia and she commiserated about how tough it is to get your cool back after you become a mom (although she admits she never got stopped by a cop while driving in her bathrobe).

TO SEE THE SEGMENT, CLICK HERE

After the interview, we demonstrated how incredibly inept we both are at the art of taking “selfies.” Finally got a good pic, but not without some help from the camera crew.

The food fest continued that night at a restaurant called Niu, which specializes in Asian Fusion cuisine. We had some amazing sushi rolls which I neglected to take pictures of because I ate them too quickly. I will tell you though that the one I had featured salmon, mango and red pepper flakes and it was crazy good. The food was great, but the best part was having a couple of hours to hang out with friends I only get to see once or twice a year!

Sushi at Niu

Needless to say, a trip to Chicago is not complete without some deep dish pizza. As a Jersey girl, I prefer my pizza thin and crispy. But when in Chicago, you gotta do like the Chicagoans do so we went to Giordanos and I got a stuffed Super Veggie pie, which was incredible.

The Deep Dish Pizza at Giordanos

A couple of other places worth mentioning were Yolk, for the best breakfast/brunch in Chicago, City Winery for great flatbreads to go with their extensive wine list, and Emilio’s Tapas for, of course, awesome tapas.

Thanks to all my Chicago friends for the great restaurant recommendations and to those of you who joined me for some great food and conversation! (And yes, in case you were wondering, I did gain a couple of pounds while I was in Chicago, but it was worth it!)

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